My layout now needs deadfall on the ground to make it look more realistic. How do you make deadfall?
Deadfall
- Thread starter wpyr
- Start date
Here's a start.
How To Make Ground Foam
You could also take real leaves and run them through the blender, then preserve them in glycerin. This is something I have seen on the net, I have not done it myself.
Loren
How To Make Ground Foam
You could also take real leaves and run them through the blender, then preserve them in glycerin. This is something I have seen on the net, I have not done it myself.
Loren
If you are talking about tree branches/limbs, save your money and dont buy the woodland scenics pack. You can make the same for free. Just cut branches off of bushes or trees and paint it if you want.
heres a tutorial by a guy that used to visit this site before he de his own.its some of the most realistic groud cover i've ever seen.if you need dead branches n stuff fust pull up some weeds and use the spindaly roots.--josh
Making Ground Cover - All Model Railroading - Community Forums
Making Ground Cover - All Model Railroading - Community Forums
N
nachoman
A word of caution about using natural materials: You may want to find a way of killing *all* potential critters before putting them on the layout. I have personally experienced: 1) Mice eating down trees made with natural weeds. 2) moths laying eggs in some natural moss I used for ground cover. I discovered the larve a year later when I was tearing out some scenery (and my mom had been complaining for the same year about moths in the house and laying eggs and chewing holes in the side of cereal boxes). 3) fungus/mold gardens growing on my hillsides.
My current rule is: the only natural material allowed on my layout is lumber for buildings and ties, and for benchwork. Also allowed are natural geological materials, after they have been sufficiently washed, disinfected, and heated in an oven. Sticks are probably okay for tree trunks, alhough I am hesitant to try again. No dyed sawdust for ground cover. No lichen. No crushed leaves. No small sticks or twigs or flowering parts of weeds. I just don't want the infestation again!
Kevin
My current rule is: the only natural material allowed on my layout is lumber for buildings and ties, and for benchwork. Also allowed are natural geological materials, after they have been sufficiently washed, disinfected, and heated in an oven. Sticks are probably okay for tree trunks, alhough I am hesitant to try again. No dyed sawdust for ground cover. No lichen. No crushed leaves. No small sticks or twigs or flowering parts of weeds. I just don't want the infestation again!
Kevin
i have the solution,give your little people little guns and AA guns for the moths and finaly little HO scale crop dusters for the mold sign1.
on a seriuos note NM has a good point,i never had this problem but mine have all been climate controlled and in newer house without mice and fungus problems.the plants id think wouldnt have a problem as long as there soaked in glycerin or some preservative.--josh
I recently started looking for deadfall logs and branches when out traveling and walking. There are an amazing number of places to find suitable stuff. Small branches tend to break into small pieces and wash up on the beach along lake shores, river eddies and on salt water beaches. If you live in a semi arid area where sage brush and other bushes grow, they have some branches with character. Your garden or your neighbors yard may provide interesting stuff. As mentioned above, there is a need to "debug" the material before use.
I used some cutting from a bush for logs on a flatcar. The train was stored in a tunnel for a long time and when it came out the ends of the twigs had been chewed. I opened up the tunnel and there were mouse fuments scattered around, and over other bits of the benchwork.
I use a product around here what is called bark mulch. It is ground up leaves, dirt, and pieces of wood. Sift out the large pieces and these can be used sparingly around then glue down the smaller junk.. I agree with others in making sure that you eliminate all the little critters,, I bake mine in the oven, after making supper I spread some out on a pan and put it in the oven at 150 deg for about 30 mins..let cool and then put in containers.
Ron..
Ron..